Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.

Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?

Roland technikum29

> Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k
> RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service".
> Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
>
> Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of
> computer ?

You've probably found this already, but there are clearly a number of
former Q1 employees still around:

https://www.old-computers.com/museum/forum.asp?c=1286&st=1

Perhaps you can find a way to contact some of them. Sadly, all
Bitsavers seems to have is a product glossy.

De

thankyou ! I just posted a request for information in that forum. And yes, the product glossy at bitsavers I found already,

Roland

Dennis Boone schrieb am Freitag, 3. Juni 2022 um 18:09:31 UTC+2:
> > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k
> > RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service".
> > Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> >
> > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of
> > computer ?
> You've probably found this already, but there are clearly a number of
> former Q1 employees still around:
>
> https://www.old-computers.com/museum/forum.asp?c=1286&st=1
>
> Perhaps you can find a way to contact some of them. Sadly, all
> Bitsavers seems to have is a product glossy.
>
> De

On Fri, 3 Jun 2022 07:32:43 -0700 (PDT), Roland Langfeld
<rolandlangfeld@gmail.com> wrote:
>Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
>
>Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
>
>Roland technikum29

There are folks on youtube that restore old computers.

I don't know if he has anything on the Q1, but he does have videos for
the Altair 8800 and several Z80 computers. Along with a television
typewriter.

Tech Time Traveller is the name of the channel.
--
Jim

On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
>
> Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
..
I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

Dear Robin,

we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !

Roland

Robin Vowels schrieb am Samstag, 4. Juni 2022 um 06:59:19 UTC+2:
> On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> >
> > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
> .
> I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

I had never heard of the Q1, but in searching old Datamation magazines for something else, I happened to run
across a new products announcement for it. Apparently the original Q1 was one of the very first microcomputers,
which looked a lot like a typewriter, and which was made at such an early date that it must have been built
around an 8008.

So your Z80-based Q1/Lite is a later version!

John Savard

Dear John,

you are correct, our Q1 is Z80-based and dated around 1979. And yes, Q1 Corp was one of the first companies to build microprocessor-based desptops, starting with 8008, going to 8080 and finally Z80.

Roland

Quadibloc schrieb am Sonntag, 12. Juni 2022 um 13:31:35 UTC+2:
> I had never heard of the Q1, but in searching old Datamation magazines for something else, I happened to run
> across a new products announcement for it. Apparently the original Q1 was one of the very first microcomputers,
> which looked a lot like a typewriter, and which was made at such an early date that it must have been built
> around an 8008.
>
> So your Z80-based Q1/Lite is a later version!
>
> John Savard

On Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 5:57:42 AM UTC-6, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:

> you are correct, our Q1 is Z80-based and dated around 1979. And yes, Q1 Corp was one of the first companies to build microprocessor-based desptops, starting with 8008, going to 8080 and finally Z80.

I found the new products announcement, in the February 1973 issue of Datamation. Apparently
their first delivery was in December 1972, according to Old-computers.com. Their typewriter-like
unit, with a single-line display, was oriented to things like order entry, not general-purpose
computing, but it is claimed to be the first self-contained microcomputer.

John Savard

A sales brochure won't be much help, but I see that the Q1 sales brochure at Bitsavers, which is all
they have on the Q1, is actually for the Q1/Lite.

John Savard

On Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 2:25:57 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Dear Robin,
>
> we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !
>
> Roland
> Robin Vowels schrieb am Samstag, 4. Juni 2022 um 06:59:19 UTC+2:
> > On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> > >
> > > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
> > .
> > I have copies of "Q1/LMC Systems Software Manual" and "Advanced PL/I Programmers Manual".

On Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 2:25:57 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Dear Robin,
>
> we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !

The manuals are not digitised. It would take some time to do that.

What is your email address?

Dear Robin,

thankyou very much for your help !

You can send the scans either to my private address rolandlangfeld(at)gmail.com or directly to our mueseum's address: kontakt(at)technikum29.de
If possible any kind of schematics are of most importance, followed by descriptions how to start/use the system.

Roland

Robin Vowels schrieb am Montag, 13. Juni 2022 um 18:33:51 UTC+2:
> On Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 2:25:57 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Dear Robin,
> >
> > we (www.technikum29.de) are interested in all kind of documentation for this systen ! If it is in digital form pls. send it to my e-mail ! Thankyou so much !
> The manuals are not digitised. It would take some time to do that.
>
> What is your email address?

On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
>
> Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
..
I have scanned these manuals.
Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

Robin Vowels schrieb am Montag, 3. Oktober 2022 um 09:14:49 UTC+2:
> On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> >
> > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
> .
> I have scanned these manuals.
> Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.

Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
regards
Roland

On Mon, 3 Oct 2022 00:24:29 -0700 (PDT)
Roland Langfeld <rolandlangfeld@gmail.com> wrote:

> Robin Vowels schrieb am Montag, 3. Oktober 2022 um 09:14:49 UTC+2:
> > On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> > >
> > > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
> > .
> > I have scanned these manuals.
> > Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.
>
> Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
> regards
> Roland

I'd like to echo that sentiment.
Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.

--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.

On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 2:21:29 AM UTC-6, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:

> Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.

It is only by the merest chance that I _had_ heard of it before these posts.

I was working on a set of pages on my web site that start here:

http://www.quadibloc.com/comp/histint.htm

which provide a brief history of the computer. In researching it, I came across this
important milestone, of which I included a mention.

John Savard

On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 7:21:29 PM UTC+11, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
> On Mon, 3 Oct 2022 00:24:29 -0700 (PDT)
> Roland Langfeld <rolandl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Robin Vowels schrieb am Montag, 3. Oktober 2022 um 09:14:49 UTC+2:
> > > On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:32:45 AM UTC+10, rolandl...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > Most recently I got a Q1/Lite desktop computer (1979, Z80 CPU, 48 k RAM). The computer turns on and displays "Q1/Lite at Your Service". Unfortunately it does not react to any keyboard input.
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone have documentation/schematics/manuals for this type of computer ?
> > > .
> > > I have scanned these manuals.
> > > Should anyone desire a copy, please drop me a line.
> >
> > Robin, you did a great job in scanning all these manuals in high quality - thankyou very much in the name of all Q1-lovers !
> > regards
> > Roland
> I'd like to echo that sentiment.
> Not that I've ever even heard of this device before these posts.
..
Further information is here, including a statement from one of the designers
that he has disks for it:
..
https://hackaday.com/2022/09/28/the-first-microcomputer-the-q1/

On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 7:21:29 PM UTC+11, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
Here's a Q1 to be traded:
..
http://www.datormuseum.se/available.html

There's even more here: manuals, photos etc.
..
http://www.peel.dk/Q1/

On Tue, 4 Oct 2022 06:52:01 -0700 (PDT)
Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 7:21:29 PM UTC+11, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
> Here's a Q1 to be traded:
> .
> http://www.datormuseum.se/available.html

Sorry, I'm not *that* interested in owning one.
--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.